Saved
by DelveIntoDarkness
Summary: A purely OC fic following the story of Alex. To most, an apocalypse would be the worst thing imaginable. However, to a girl whose days are filled with the constant fear of living at home, the unstructured, freewill atmosphere of an apocalypse might just be the best turning point of her life. Rated T for content and language. WARNING: Mentions of abuse and rape. Please be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! So this is the first time I've written a Walking Dead fanfiction, and I do hope it goes over well! I have ideas planned for the future, though I am very open to new ideas as well as characters suggestions. All of the characters will be OC, so any connections to original Walking Dead characters are purely coincidental. It does, however, take place during the same time period as the series, so locations could repeat.**

 **This fic does start off slow in the beginning to explain a bit of back story, though I'll keep the chapters short to get to the action!  
I put a warning in the description, though I want to stress that there are mentions of abuse and rape, though I'll never elaborate on the scenes. But if anything might be offensive or triggering for you, please don't read! **

**Again, any suggestions and comments are loved and welcomed! Thank you for reading!**

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"What do you mean 'they're fake'?" I demanded, the bag in my hand jolting about with my frustrated hand motions. "When have I ever given you something fake?"

"Maybe you got yourself a bad dealer there, Red. I'm tellin' you, those are fake," he insisted, pointing at the bag for added emphasis.

I groaned loudly, turning away from the man standing in front of me and pacing back and forth a few steps. My waist-length honey brown hair spilled from my hood and swayed with my movements.

"Look, I don't have time for this, I have somewhere else I need to be. Either you take it or you don't. $250 is my final offer, got it?" I held the bag up again, containing half a dozen small yellow-colored pills in a bag. In the real world, where normal people took oxycodone for their proper use, the pills helped with constant pain. That wasn't always the case on the streets, however. Usually crushed, the user would snort or inject the pills, but I didn't crush them. I wanted as little to do with the dealing while still collecting my money and be gone.

"Where you gettin' $250 from?" The man who stood in front of me didn't have a name. Or well, he did, but I wasn't told it. He operated under the name X, not wanting his name to get around to the public. X attempted to live a decent life during the day, working as a busboy for a family diner, though his life didn't matter to me. My name was unknown to him, as well. Everyone out here only referred to me as "Little Red" since a girl who sold drugs standing at 5'5" with little to no muscle on her could only be labeled after a little girl bringing goodies to her grandmother.

"They go for one dollar a milligram. Each of these are forty milligrams. Now what's forty multiplied by six?" I waited for a few seconds while he figured the math out in his head. I had known X for a few months now. Often times, we functioned on good terms, though after being sold a bad batch only a week ago, he didn't trust even his most frequent dealers.

"That's ten extra bucks you robbin' me. They ain't even crushed, girl, come on!"

"I've added on for every minute of my life you've wasted. Give me the money or I'll find someone else who will give me more." Our tones said we hated either other though we both were aware we were two of the most decent people in the neighborhood. We took care of each other when needed, having enough trust in the other to hold up their end of the deal. If either of us needed money quickly, we trusted each other with a loan. It was probably stupid to trust someone like him, but in reality, I wasn't really any better.

I raised my eyebrows at him, silently asking if he would hand over the money or not. Finally, he dug into his pocket and took out a roll of cash, counting each bill out one by one, driving me even more crazy. He had a way about him, making you want to punch his teeth in. But, I could always rely on him for a quick buck, so I refrained from doing so. Even still, the longer he kept me waiting, the closer the time moved towards nine o'clock.

Eventually, the money landed into my hand. I gave him the baggie of pills and tucked the money into the pocket of my hoodie.

"Give me a little more credit, X, I'm not gonna scam you."

X looked at me for a while before nodding his head a little. "Yeah. I just don't know if anyone would scam you." His voice sounded sincere, almost like an older brother. "You're young, Red, and your cute little southern accent don't make you very scary."

Shaking my head at him, I took a few steps back, inching towards the end of the alley. "I don't deal with anyone to get these, they're 'scripts. I'll let ya know when I have something from another source."

X nodded at me, looking down at the pills before tucking them away in his jacket. "Come back to the woods soon, Little Red." I nodded at him quickly before leaving the alley, heading back over to my car parked a block away.

I hated doing what I did, but I had no other choice. The pills belonged to my aunt, having been prescribed to them after being diagnosed with breast. But I wasn't robbing a poor lady from her pain medication. She refused to take the prescribed amount, afraid to ruin her body even further by taking too many pills and insisted she could tolerate the pain. I didn't feel guilty so long as she kept up her strong attitude. But I couldn't just ask her for them. Drug dealing wouldn't exactly go over well with anyone in my family, despite how fucked my family was. My mom had a key to her house I "borrowed" every Tuesday night while my aunt worked the night shift. I stopped by her house on the way home from work, grabbed one of the numerous bottles she kept in her bathroom and left. She never noticed nor cared, so the process went over smoothly. I needed the money more than she needed pills which didn't cost her anything.

I didn't drink or a use drugs, so the money wasn't used poorly. Every penny I managed to earn was saved, aiming to afford an apartment. It didn't matter how big or small, so long as it could fit my sister, my mom and I. It definitely wasn't easy, though. I had already dropped out of high school my junior year to pick up two jobs and it still wasn't enough. There was a time when I had few months worth of minimum wage saved up in a bank account, though it wasn't long before my dad found it, insisted I didn't need it and took it. After, I kept my earnings hidden in my room, only able to pray my dad didn't find it.

I didn't drug deal often, since my aunts pain medication only went for so much, not being a popular drug. Six pills could barely give me three hundred dollars, but only if I could find someone stupid enough to pay so much. Not to mention the risk of getting caught. There was no saying what my dad would do to my sister if I had to be sent away. With only my mom to protect her, she'd have his anger directed towards her rather than me. I couldn't even think about it without feeling sick. But that's where X came in. He had heard as much about my life as he cared to listen to though he also wouldn't go out of his way to help me with finances. I wouldn't ask, either. People like him never gave out money for free. We might have been closer than most people on the streets, but that didn't mean anything was given out.

By the time I got home, the clock read five minutes past ten o'clock. There was no way I would be able to live after being an hour and a half late unless my dad had become shitfaced drunk. I walked in the back door, halfheartedly trying to be quiet. If my dad noticed my absence, he'd notice my return.

I opened the handle to the door and pushed it open, leading into the dimly lit kitchen inside my house. My mom stood there, washing some last minute dishes cluttering the sink. She wasn't very old for a mother of a seventeen year old, only in her early forties, but her appearance made her seem much older. Her hair was short and gray, bags under her eyes and her skin showing some serious signs of age. But living in a house like this, it wasn't easy to look like you just left a beauty parlor.

The relationship I had with my mom was complicated. I resented her for several reasons though I still felt the need to protect her. Our roles seemed reversed in every way possible, despite her being my mother. I was the one she relied on for protection even if she didn't come out and say it. She looked to me for mental support and trusted me to take care of her daughter more than herself. She had been broken down by my father, and as much as I tried to pity her, I could only blame her for our situation. Everything was her fault. But she believed that, too, trying to make my life as easy as possible on her side. When it came to misbehaving, the extent of her punishments were the typical "I'm-disappointed-in-you" mom faces. Compared to my father, I had experienced far worse.

I closed the door quietly behind me and walked past her silently. She didn't look at me, but she turned off the running water and lowered the sponge in her hand into the sink.

"Why were you out so late?" She asked in a quiet tone to keep my father from hearing. Her voice wasn't condescending though was the same tone a mother would use to ask if their child had completed their homework. She tried to act motherly from time to time, but it never worked for her.

"I was at Ty's. Does it matter?" Ty had been my friend since second grade. I trusted her with secrets about me even my mother and sister didn't know. She had attempted to get away from my house several times though without success. I wouldn't budge, knowing the option of being beaten up by my dad surpassed having to live with the guilt of causing the mayhem should anyone find out. If someone were to be notified, my dad would either attack me or my mom, meaning my sister would have to witness everything. I couldn't put her through that. To some extent, Ty understood. Enough, at least, for her to accept my decisions. She settled with doing what she could to cheer me up when I became saddened. She was also my only friend who didn't mind my sister tagging along with us when we hung out. I refused leave her home with my father longer than I had to.

"Yes, a little," my mom said, her voice hardening slightly. "Your curfew is nine, you know that. What if it had been your father standing here instead of me?" She turned to face me, her hands still dripping from the soapy dish water.

"Yeah, because you care how he treats me, right?" I asked casually before walking over to the fridge and grabbing a soda can, popping the tab and taking a sip. My mom stayed quiet after my comment, having nothing to say in retaliation. She turned back to her dishes and continued doing them. I knew I only hurt her case any by making her feel like she was to blame though I hoped my remarks would lead her to take the actions I was too afraid to make; to leave, take Jessica and I somewhere safer.

"Claire, who the hell are you talking to?" A deep, hoarse voice called out from the living room, footsteps following the voice as he headed into the kitchen. My father appeared in the kitchen, a scruffy, beer-bellied, asshole holding the love of his life in his hand; a beer bottle. His hair was unkempt and his shirt had several faded stains. He looked at me and narrowed his eyes. "And where the fuck have you been?" His voice was still low, despite having obvious hints of anger in it. I hardly flinched at his tone anymore. I had already been expecting the punishment when the clock turned over to a minute past nine.

"Upstairs in my room," I answered him quietly. I liked to believe I could be tough, or at least acted that way despite the remarks of the guys on the street. In the presence of John, though, I felt like a weak five year old. It was especially worse when we were home alone. I felt the need to act strong around my mom or my sister. It made them less worried about me. But when it was just us, alone, I had no one to impress or protect, just me with my true weaknesses. "Why, did you need me for something?" I tried to act as innocently as possible, hoping to ease my upcoming punishment as much as possible. I could also imagine in my head my tone being sarcastic, allowing myself to have a small taste of revenge. As much as I would have loved to trash talk my father like I did my mother, it wasn't an option. I'd end up with some more bruises, he'd smack my mother around when she tried to stop him, and then there was the fear he'd take his anger out on Jessica. I'd go to prison for murder before he touched her. She was only eleven and had to deal with acting like her home life didn't threaten her sanity around her friends. At least half of her teachers at school suspected something was wrong. I made sure she didn't have to hide any bruises, but her home life could be depicted by the way she acted. She was timid, afraid of nearly everything. I wanted nothing more than for one of those suspicious teachers to come in and take Jessica away from here, but both of us knew leaving wasn't an option. As it stood, Jessica wasn't being abused, and I couldn't confess the abuse I had to endure. We both feared for our mother and what would happen to her should the authorities be contacted.

My mom was as defenseless as my sister. If a court case was ever filed against my dad for abuse, he'd do worse to my mom than just smack her around a bit. The situation was delicate and couldn't just be handled in any old way. It didn't matter, anyways. My mom had tried leaving him before, going to shelters and such with my sister and I when he was at his worse. But she'd always end up crawling back to him. She blamed herself for Ed's abuse and felt he didn't deserve to be abandoned. It was her fault we had to be stuck in the mess, and it was her fault we couldn't get out. She was the reason I was being raped. She was the reason I'd never finish high school, get a proper job, be able to provide for my sister, or lead a normal life. The years of resentment I felt for her only grew stronger with every passing day I dealt with my father. I couldn't help it, yet I still cared for her as any daughter would for her mother. I wanted to believe she would one day overcome Ed, I wanted to believe she could be a good mother. But somewhere deep in me, I had already given up hope.

"Yeah, a fucking hour ago. I called your name, and you didn't answer me." My dad's eyebrows furrowed together in anger, looking as though he had a unibrow as they touched in the center. His cheeks were flushed and his breath reeked of alcohol. He was drunk, which meant he'd at least go easier on me. Under the influence, my dad acted even more ignorant than usual. His hits didn't hurt as bad and his punishments followed suit. Unlike any other kid who had alcoholic parents, I wished mine to be drunk more often than not.

"I'm sorry, I had headphones in. It won't happen again, I promise." I bit down on my lip, hoping by some rare chance he'd let the situation go and continue watching TV.

"Don't you fucking lie to me," he growled, grabbing me by the hood of my sweatshirt and dragging me beside him and up the stairs. My heart skipped a beat, praying we wouldn't pass my sister on the way. I didn't believe he wouldn't do much in his drunken state but I still didn't want her to have to witness anything.

Entering my room, my father threw me aside and frantically searched my room before turning back to look at me.

"Where are those headphones of yours, huh?"

"They're in my desk draw," I muttered, my voice just barely a whisper. There was always a side of me, perhaps the same side who hoped my mom would shape up, that hoped my dad would hear the fear in my voice when I spoke to him and feel guilty. That maybe he'd realize his abuse was wrong and apologize for being such a terrible dad for all those years. Though, I was aware that side of me was just stuck in a fantasy world where my dad could be a decent person. As a kid, my imaginary friends wouldn't friends, though representations of what I wished my parents would be like. Someone to take care of me and protect me. The side of me who hoped my parents would awaken to their senses was only the same naive child in me.

Even though he knew I had lied about having headphones in, he still grabbed them from my drawer and broke them in half before tossing them aside. He turned back to me and slapped me across the face for good measure. I lowered my head and closed my eyes, hardly phased by the slap, though allowing him to believe it had.

"No more excuses now, huh?" I kept my head lowered and my mouth shut, though shook my head slightly to answer his question. He reached out and shoved me out of his way before walking out of my room, slamming my bedroom door behind him. I stayed still for a few moments after he left the room before walking over to my headphones and tossing them into the trashbin beside my desk. Only seconds after, my bedroom door creaked open, revealing the timid, pale face of my sister. Her eyes were filled with worry, having heard my dad yelling. She didn't have to ask questions anymore, though just look at me.

"It's okay, nothing happened." I gave her a fake smile before motioning her to sit on my bed. I tried to keep Jess in the shadows as often as possible. When the abuse took place behind doors, she wouldn't know about it. The only time I couldn't hide it was when she was present. But otherwise, she didn't need to be informed of everything.

"Did he hurt you?" She whispered, walking over and taking her seat on my bed as I sat next to her.

"No, he didn't hurt me. Don't worry so much, okay?" I whispered back, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to my chest. I buried my face in her hair and closed my eyes again. What I said wasn't necessarily a lie. Compared to most of my dad's antics, a slap and a shove honestly didn't hurt. Even if it had, even if I was in tears from the pain, if she didn't see, I wouldn't show the pain.

"You should get to bed, you have school tomorrow." I kissed the top of my sister's head before letting her go. She nodded slightly, standing up and walking back over to the door.

"Night, Alex." She said to me. I smiled at her, hoping to further assure her I was truly alright.

"Night, Jess."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello all! Welcome to chapter 2. It's much shorter than the first, which will be a reoccurring theme to not bore you with too much background. This chapter does mainly focus on rape, so please read with caution. It doesn't get graphic, though the intentions are clear.**

 **Suggestions and comments are still loved! Thank you for reading!**

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"Listen, bitch, I said I ain't got the money yet, get off my back!"

My eyes narrowed at the man standing in front of me, JJ, hoping to appear as intimidating as possible.

"I gave you your pills. You said you'd have the money by today. Newsflash, it's today!" I raised my voice at him, taking a small step closer to him. I may have acted too big for my size with these guys, but now and then I'd meet one who'd give in. Everyone on the streets had connections with others. JJ and I didn't know each other well though only heard each others names from others. He wasn't aware of who I could have backing me up but he must have realized I really had no one to back me up. He moved even closer, leaving only inches between us.

"I think it's time for you to go home to grandma, Little Red." JJ stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled something out of it. With a glance down, I saw a switchblade held firmly in this hand. I had only a second to react before I felt a hand cover my mouth and yank me backwards. On reflex, I attempted to pull the hand from my mouth though settled when I heard the voice.

"Drop the knife, JJ," X said, holding a small handgun out towards the other guy. As much as the guy gave me trouble with paying my prices, he could be rather good in situations such as these.

JJ took only a glance at the gun before dropping his knife and holding his hands up reluctantly. As much as these guys loved to talk shit, they were extreme pussies in reality. X also had created a name for himself, working with other guys, rather large guys, who were in debt to him. That was half the reason having connections with X came in handy.

"You best pay her before the week is up. Got it?" X kept his voice low and even though as intimidating as possible. He let my mouth go now, having only put it there to keep me from yelling out. He kept his arm around me, and while it felt terribly awkward, given the current situation it was reassuring. It felt nice to be protected for once, too. After always having to look out for my sister and my mom, protecting them from my father, there wasn't anyone to take care of me.

"I'll pay her," JJ agreed, trying to keep his voice even like X's, though his tone didn't fit his expression.

"You will, or you'll be seein' me again." X motioned with his gun for JJ to leave. "Go."

JJ seemed more than relieved to have an exit from the situation. He backed up a few steps before turning and leaving the alley. X let go of me then, lowering his gun and hiding it inside his jacket.

"Thanks," I said quietly, pulling my hood up over my head.

"It's not a problem, baby girl. You know we'll always have each others back, right?" X took a step closer and ran his finger under my chin. I turned my head away awkwardly and put a few feet in between us.

"Um, sure," I said, my heart speeding up in my chest. X usually didn't get close to anyone. I had only ever gotten as close as sitting beside him while I waited to get my sister from school. It was small talk most of the time, though we both talked about our rather tough upbringing from time to time. But still, there wasn't any time we had touched if not needed.

X looked at me as if offended by my reaction to him. "Oh, come on now, Red. I just saved your life and you won't even properly thank me?" X reached out and grabbed me by the pocket of my jacket, pulling me closer to him. I grabbed his hand, hoping to pull it off while backing away from him. He was still strong, though, and whatever he had in his head, he wanted.

"I'll give you money or something, just let me go. I have to get home." My voice cracked slightly despite my attempts to make it sound angry. It only seemed to amuse X as he smirked while also infuriating him.

"Oh, sweetie, you and I both know money isn't what I want." X grabbed the back of my head and forced his lips against mine. I pushed my hands against his chest, but he had to be at least ten times stronger than I was. I didn't understand why he was acting this way. He hadn't done anything like this before, and even though he wasn't aware of what my father did behind closed doors, I didn't think he would.

My heart felt like it would explode in my chest. I fought him as hard as I could but I was all too aware of the gun still in his jacket. X pushed me back against the side of the building, moving one of his legs in between mine. One of his hands moved around my body while the other held my hands securely above my head. My body trembled beneath his, knowing I was completely and utterly stuck. And being in a place like this, calling out could potentially lead to others trying to get in on the action. No one would be running in to save me.

He removed his lips from mine, though only connected them to my neck, unzipping my jacket as I stood helplessly against the wall. My body trembled more and more with every passing second. My composure broke, my body breaking into sobs. I moved my body against him, attempting to hopelessly shove him away from me, though he just pressed me against the wall harder.

"Please… stop," I sobbed out, my voice low, as I knew it was a hopeless plea. I had given my dad the same plea before, over and over. Never once did it work, and I should have known better than to give him the satisfaction of the plea. The only difference between X right now and my father was that I had willingly and foolishly trusted X.

"Shh. You'll enjoy it, Red, I promise. Just give it a chance. You know I wouldn't hurt you." His breath hit my neck, causing goosebumps to rise on my arms. Fear overtook my mind and body, resulting in me obeying to his every wish. He said he wouldn't hurt me, but he already was. Fighting him, calling for help, nothing would help me. I had been in the same position too many times before. All those experiences told me it was better to give in than to get hurt trying to fight. I wasn't strong. I wasn't intimidating. I was just a helpless girl asking for trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

**Third chapter! Still some background, but the action is coming quicker and quicker with every chapter that goes by. I hope everyone is enjoying it so far. If not, please tell me how I can make it better for you. Still any character suggestions or plot ideas are more than welcome. c: Thanks for reading!**

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My clothes laid in a pile on the floor, discarded hastily by X the previous night. He didn't allowed me to leave when he was finished with me, meaning I had been gone all night. I couldn't imagine what it would be like for me when I got home. The thought scared me nearly more than I had been the night before when X held me. Being raped didn't seem bad after having dealt with it since the age of nine. Seven years later and it only left me with disgust. I still cried after every time, though, only making me feel weaker than I already was.

Memories of what happened the previous night flashed through my head, having no power to stop the cycle. He forced me into his car, leaving mine miles behind. I sat quietly in the car, not wanting to make it worse than it would already be. Someone like me couldn't fight a guy like him, and if I continued to try, I didn't want to know the consequences. Whatever he wanted, he got. Being submissive was something I drilled into my head over the years.

X was absent from the spot beside me on the bed, meaning he was supposedly done with me now. I never felt more disgusted in myself for trusting someone like him. I walked straight into the trap he set, letting myself rely on him. I knew his services never came free though I didn't know this would be the price. In the back of my mind, I wanted to believe X was better than someone like my father, but he was the same disgusting type of person.

I quickly gathered my clothes from the floor and dressed myself again. X was strong, leaving a few bruises here and there on my body. Even when I wasn't struggling anymore, he still held too tightly. It didn't matter though. They were just more marks on my body, blending in with the other marks and scars left from times before him. Every bruise and every mark stopped hurting a long time ago. Nothing but the memory hurt me anymore.

I made my way out of his room as quietly as possible, spotting him sitting in the living room with the TV on. His feet were up on the coffee table, only having put his boxers back on. I never thought X was bad looking before, but the sight of him now made my stomach turn with disgust.

I made my way to the door but not as silent as I wanted as the door clicked when being unlocked. Hearing it over the TV, X threw a glance at me, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Leaving so soon, Red? You seemed to like it more than you're letting on." He didn't move from the couch, allowing me to relax slightly. He was done with me, at least, for now.

"Yeah, I have work, so…" I swallowed heavily, trying to calm myself down. I had no reactions to sex anymore, having experienced it before I barely even knew what it was. Nothing about it was pleasurable or enjoyable, but I laid there anyways, too afraid to fight. I had adjusted to it by now.

"Come visit me again some time. We can make another deal." He smirked slightly at me. I only nodded quickly in return before ducking out the door and racing to the door which led to the staircase. I was in no rush to get home though I was in a rush to leave his building.

I pushed through the double doors of X's apartment building. My legs were shaky and my heart still raced in my chest, though I felt safer now, being outside and free of anyone. I saw on the bench sitting on the sidewalk, resting my head against the back of it and closing my eyes, hoping to calm my nerves. I was safe now, but I still worried about going home. It had been a whole night and then some, meaning the anger in my father had been growing since last night after nine.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone and scrolled down to Ty's number in my contacts before calling her. I coughed slightly while the phone rang, hoping to make my voice sound normal.

"Hey, Alex, what's up?" Ty asked casually. It was a Saturday, meaning she would have enough time before her shift at work to pick me up.

"Hey, uh, nothing, I was just wondering if you had a few minutes to pick me up." I swallowed heavily, hoping I didn't sound too pathetic.

"Oh God, what happened?" Ty's voice raised, concern filling it. As much as I loved her, I would love her more if she wasn't able to see through my facade so easily.

"Nothing, really," I answered her, smiling a little to add it to my voice. "I just went to a friends house and left my car behind." I moved and sat down on the bench, wrapping my free arm around myself. Georgia was a very warm state, even in the winter, though the cold in the morning nipped at bare skin. I only wore a thin sweatshirt, and not being very accustomed to the cold, high forty degree weather in a light jacket wasn't very comfortable.

"Alex, don't lie to me," Ty demanded. I heard rustling in the background, meaning she already made her way to her car. "I'm coming to get you now, but when I get there, you're gonna talk. Where are you?"

I sighed slightly, running a hand through my hair and resting my head on it afterwards. The last thing I wanted to do was discuss the events of the previous night. I didn't want to risk crying again, and even though I didn't have to act tough with Ty, I still hated feeling weak.

"I'm at the apartment complex just a bit farther up from the McDonald's we always go to." I didn't even know X lived over here before last night. Ty and I passed the building more times than I cared to count.

"I'll be there in a few minutes, just stay safe, okay?" Ty's voice was panicked though sympathetic as well. She tried countless times to keep me from getting in trouble, but being the idiot I was ignored her anyways. I appreciated having her around but she couldn't truly understand what it was like to have no other option but to risk getting into situations like this.

Compared to my house, Ty grew up in a rather normal household. She was raised by two loving mothers who cared deeply for both her and each other. Ty always had great grades and a smile plastered on her face. We were unlikely friends, her being optimistic while I had a tendency to be more pessimistic. She did what she could to make me happy though. She cheered me up when my father upset me and took me places whenever she could. Her parents were very adventurous, belonging to a gun club. I'd visits with them often, Ty and I becoming rather proficient with a rifle, handgun and bow and arrow. Her moms liked to see us happy, and we liked to be together. In the nine years of our friendship, we only ever fought over petty reasons when we were younger. Despite everything, she stuck by me, being the most loyal person I knew.

Waiting for Ty gave me an opportunity to come up with an excuse for my absence the night before; my car broke down on my way home from work, my cellphone died, and I had to sleep in my car before walking home the next morning. If I had Ty drop me off around the corner, I could pull off the lie and seem convincing. The only hard part would be delivering the lie before my father lost his temper.

Ty showed up not long after. I jogged over to her car, sitting in the front seat and smiling at her.

"Thank you for this, really. I'm sorry I made you come out here and-"

"Alex, _stop_ ," she insisted, grabbing me by the shoulder and turning me toward her. "Tell me why you were here and don't you dare give me some bullshit line about being here by choice. You never call me and your eyes are bloodshot, so spill." Ty's voice was stern, letting me know she wouldn't let this go. My heart dropped to my stomach as I turned my head away, wishing to disappear. I didn't want to lie to her, and she didn't deserve to be lied to, but I didn't the truth to come out. She'd take it too far rather than letting it just die away like I wanted it to.

"Um.." My voice shook slightly as I started off. I swallowed and took a breath before continuing. I hadn't ever needed to speak about this before. At least not right after it happened, and even though I was used to it with John, I was more shaken up after this time. "I just got into a mix up with this guy and then this other guy got me out of it and he took me back to his place." I glanced at her before looking away, both of us knowing more occurred than I cared to say.

"What guy?" She asked, her face questioning as she tried to make sense of what I was giving her to work with. "The only guy you talk to is that guy, shit what's his name, with the letter or whatever."

"X," I reminded, pulling my legs up to my chest and fiddling with my fingers that were mostly tucked into the sleeves of my sweatshirt. "Yeah, him."

Ty didn't look away from me though stayed silent for a while. I knew she had the answer to what she wanted to ask, but she asked anyways.

"And… why did he bring you here?" Ty's voice was soft, just barely above a whisper. I let out a shaky breath, turning my head further away to look out the window. I didn't think I'd ever be able to pass this building again without feeling small and afraid.

"Because I owed him," I told her, my voice wavering. Ty sighed audibly, reaching out and wrapping her arms around me and hugging me to her. I bounced my leg around, trying to hold back the tears that dared to drip from my eyes, but it wasn't as effective as I hoped. A sob broke from me, causing me to move my hand over my mouth to silence any more that hoped to follow. I shut my eyes tightly and lowered my head onto her. She rubbed a hand over my back slowly, not knowing any other way to comfort me. We'd been through the same process time and time again, though this time she knew it was different. I didn't expect it from X, and I was paying for it now.

"You're gonna stay away from him now, right?" She asked, her voice as soft as she possible. I nodded my head, but I didn't even truly know what I was going to do after today. The money was more important to man than staying safe. I cared about Jessica more than I cared about myself. If I had to, I would repeat the night over again. But I would agree with Ty to ease her. She dealt with more than she needed to with me. I was that girl every parent hated to see their daughter with, afraid I'd be a bad influence. If anything, I wanted to be an example of what not to become in life. I'd never let Ty fall into my shoes. I'd never get her involved in my schemes. Of course, I just felt foolish now for trusting someone as much as I trusted Ty. My judgement was clouded. Even though I knew X wasn't trustworthy, I still gave myself over to him. I wanted to believe Ty wouldn't ever take advantage of my trust, but what did I know anymore?


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all for sticking with me this far c: I promise it'll get much more interesting soon. xD Suggestions and comments welcome! Thanks for reading!**

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I barely had a moment to breathe as I walked into the front door before a hand wrapped around my neck, holding me against the wall beside the door.

"Where the fuck have you been?" My dad yelled at me, spitting slightly on my face. My mom stood behind my father, holding Jessica at her side. Both of them had tear streaks running down their cheeks as they watched the scene unfold. My father had obviously been yelling about my absence all night. I hoped it was only yelling.

"My car broke down, and-" my dad raised his hand and slapped me again, silencing me. My hair covered part of my face, allowing me to lose my composure slightly. After having just broken down in front of Ty, I didn't know how strong I could be. I had told her arriving back home wouldn't be a problem, that my dad would be out, but I knew that was a lie too.

"More excuses? You haven't learned your lesson you spoiled bitch?" My dad moved his arm holding me, throwing me down to the floor in front of my mom and Jessica. I looked up at my mom, giving her a look that demanded she removes Jessica from the room. My mom began to usher her away when my dad reached out and grabbed my moms arm, yanking them backwards.

"Oh no, you keep her right her so she can learn a lesson, too!" My dad undid his belt and removed it from the belt loops, wrapping the end tightly around his hand.

The first lash to my back stung though I only tightened my hands into fists. I hadn't screamed from his punishments since I was a kid, never giving him the satisfaction. After the next few lashes, I barely felt the pain anymore. My eyes were closed, searching for a thought to take me away from my current situation. However, with a lifetime filled with abuse, there weren't any good memories to cling onto.

"Is this really what I get for letting you go out? Is what I give you not enough?" My father stopped hitting me, settling on yelling now. "Two nights in a damn row I'm left wondering where you've been." I knew with all of my being my father didn't care for my safety. There wasn't any reason he wanted me to be home other than to assert his control. It made little sense, but I had given up on hoping he'd ignore my arrivals. "Well, kiss that goodbye. You're not leaving this damn house again!" The first thought that crossed my mind was work. My dad didn't know that I had a job, let alone two. If he did, he'd just take my money again. But if I wasn't allowed out of the house, I'd be fired, and I didn't want to think what could follow sneaking out.

I stayed silent as my dad let out his anger. I was numb to everything he did. My only regret was letting Jessica see what happened. I couldn't hide this from her or keep her sheltered. She watched everything, and the only thing I could hear from her were her cries. At least I had practice taking his abuse in silence and could act like it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

Once he left the room, I stood up slowly. I didn't truly know how bad my back looked, but it felt like several slashes had been cut into it, making it hard to stand up without wincing. I bit down on my tongue, trying to ignore it as much as I could. Jessica ran over to me, throwing her arms around me and sobbing into my chest. I held onto her tightly, running my hands through her hair softly, knowing I couldn't say anything to settle her down. My mom still stood in the opening to the living room, a hand covering her mouth as tears trailed down her cheeks. I didn't know what face I made at her, but it was enough for her to look away, guilt written across her features.

"I'll get you ice," she whispered, disappearing into the kitchen before returning seconds later with ice cubes wrapped in a towel. My stomach tensed as it contacted my back though I stopped myself from flinching. It stung worse with the ice, but I at least let her feel as though she was helping me in some way. I couldn't yell at her in front of Jessica. She still saw Claire as a mother figure. She didn't understand how wrong her idea of the family was, but I would let her believe whatever made things easier on her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Aha! Incoming action. Sorta. xD Thank you for sticking through to this point! I promise better content awaits ahead. Suggestiong and comments welcome. Thanks for reading! c:**

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Getting to bed that night was rough. Jess was too frightened to leave my side as if staying there would protect me from John. It was true he wouldn't hit her, though it wasn't true he would spare me because of her presence. But it didn't matter either way. After the beating in the living room, he drank himself to sleep, having gotten his fill for the day.

Aside from Jessica, I still had work on my mind. I had no chance of keeping my job if I couldn't leave my house. My dad was gone from eleven in the morning to seven at night on weekdays for work though my shifts didn't comply with his schedule. And even if I could get my hours changed, I couldn't risk being away from home that long, if I even left at all.

JJ would most definitely run with my money if I didn't show up. The asshole owed me $400, but I wouldn't be getting it. I couldn't send anyone to get it for me, either. X wasn't someone I could trust with anything anymore. The only person I could trust was Ty, and there wasn't a chance I'd bring her into my life.

By the next morning, it didn't seem like my father would let up on my punishment. He paraded around the house, bragging about his decision. I stayed silent, having no intentions of digging a bigger hole for myself. Despite my lack of reactions from the day before, my back still stung with every move.

Jessica continued to throw concerned faces at me, all of which I returned with a smile. She needed a strong figure in her life. My mother was at her weakest, and John wasn't someone she could look up to. She needed to rely on someone stronger than her, and I'd be that person, even if I felt weaker than her most times.

The TV blared from the living room as my dad chugged down his morning beer. The news lady gave her daily report, which was usually about terrible stories delivered in a monotone, uncaring voice.

"A death was reported last night in downtown Atlanta. The cause of death was clear upon sight; the body had been viciously torn up and left in a vacant alleyway. Images are being withheld due to their graphic content. Authorities are still unsure as to the source of death although some assume an animal is responsible."

"Heh, idiots. Don't know how to handle a stupid animal," my dad scoffed from the couch. I couldn't help but find an uncanny comparison between my father and the killer animal.

"Am I still allowed to drive Jess to school?" I asked my father in a small voice. He glanced at me, his eyes narrowing at my question.

"Why? So you can just not show up again? She'll take the bus, you get in your room."

"She gets bullied on the bus tho-"

"Did you not hear me? Get upstairs!" My dads voiced raised, drowning out the sound of the TV. My mother placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a look that told me to end the conversation.

"I'll take her," she whispered. I nodded slightly, not being thrilled about being home alone with my father, though being unwilling to fight the matter. Hugging her gently, I kissed Jess's head and climbed the stairs to my room.

A few hours past before my father left for work. It was then, and only then, that I left my room. My mom had taken my father's place in the living room, cleaning up after him. The TV still played in the background as she cleared off the coffee table of empty beer bottles.

"You're not thinking about going out while he's gone, right?" She asked, her voice low as she glanced across the room at me. I entered the living room with a sigh, sitting down on the loveseat.

"Nope, I'm staying home. He's already ruined my life, it's no surprise he's still trying to make it worse." My mom put down the bottles she was collecting and took a seat on the couch across from me. She stared at me for a while before responding to my comment.

"It's only because he worries. No one knew where you were, even Jessica was wor-"

"Yeah, bullshit," I called out, looking harshly at her. "The only thing that man worries about is how much beer is left in the fridge. He's afraid I'm gonna run away one day because I've finally gave up on this house. He couldn't bare to lose his personal punching bag, so he keeps me home."

"You're not a punching bag, Alex. He doesn't know how to handle his fears, it's not his fault."

"No, nothing is his fault. He's the poor, innocent baby who wouldn't hurt a fly. Everyone should cut him some slack. He doesn't mean to abuse his daughter in front of the rest of the family. He doesn't mean to make everyone's life hell, he doesn't mean-"

"He provides for us! If it wasn't for him there'd be no food on the table or clothes on your back." It was hard to believe how little she'd admit to herself about John. I turned my head away, not bothering to respond to her comment. She sighed loudly and stood, walking off to another room. The television still played in the background.

"Coming to you live from the city, we have an update on the recent murder that took place here last night. Two more deaths have been reported, the victims bodies in the same condition as the first. Authorities are still baffled by the cause of death but are working frivolously to find the source. Citizens are advised to stay off the streets, and in their homes. More updates later tonight."


	6. Chapter 6

**Remember how I promised the action? Well, here's the start of it!  
Just as a quick warning, I had written up chapter 1-6 before publishing, which is why I've been updating so quickly. The next chapters might take a bit longer to be written, though I am still actively writing each day!  
Thank you again for sticking with it this far! Suggestions and comments still loved as always. Thanks for reading! c:**

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"I'm going to get Jess," I called out to my mom, heading down into the living room.

"I thought you weren't going to sneak out," she retorted, following behind me.

"He's not gonna be home for three more hours, and I don't want her out in town with all that shit on the news." I wouldn't leave the house for a few hours though there was no way he'd know if I left home for twenty minutes.

"You're making a mistake," she warned. "You broke the rules and you got in trouble, you can't blame him for that."

"No, but I can blame him for the marks on my back, can't I, Mommy?" I glanced back at her, giving a childish frown. She looked away from me, giving up the fight.

My dad had taken the keys to my car, so I had to take my mothers; she never left the house anyways. Although, it was difficult to drive, being from 1989. Either way, it provided transportation, and I was happy to leave the house.

... ... ...

"Hey kiddo, how was your day?" I asked Jess as she got into the passenger seat. She gave me a look before sitting, obviously surprised I left the house after John's punishment.

"Good. I got an A on my history test." I smiled widely at her, holding up my hand for a high five, which she returned.

"Damn girl, look at you go!" I had never aspired for high grades when I attended school, too distracted by my home life to care. Studying was never a priority for me, and I didn't care about learning. Jess, however, was naturally a bright person. She wanted to learn and wanted to do well in school. I helped her wherever I could, teaching myself the material if needed to help with her homework assignments. I tried to encourage her as much as possible, otherwise she'd take the same path I did with school. She had a future ahead of her, and despite only being eleven, I knew she could get into a great college. Hopefully for her, outside of Atlanta.

We drove the rest of the way home making small talk. That was the thing I loved most about us; we never discussed home life. We made ourselves happy when we were together. She was mature for her age, making it easy to talk to her about anything.

Pulling off a side street, I could see several news vans pulled over to the side of the road, news reporters followed by their cameramen standing around. Black FBI vans could be made out on the other side of yellow caution tape. Traffic up ahead caused me to slow down, allowing us to look at the scene.

"What going on?" Jess asked, leaning closer to the window to get a better view.

"I have no idea," I admitted, the vans blocking the scene. Soon, I could see shuffling in the crowd, allowing me to make out legs lying on the ground. My stomach tightened as I remembered the news channels constant updating. There had been another murder.

A few minutes passed and still the traffic had only barely moved. Everyone was too curious about the scene unfolding to worry about driving. More and more people were gathering around the scene, only to be ushered away by authorities. Even news reporters were having a hard time getting full coverage. Something was up, and authorities were trying to keep it from the public.

Moments later, a scream sounded from down the street. I jumped before twisting my head to find the source. Coming from behind, a group of people were running up the road, swerving around cars in their panic.

"What are they running from?" Jess asked, her voice sounding slightly panicked. I said nothing in return, not knowing how to answer her question. Quickly, I locked the doors in the car, afraid to see what the crowds' fear was caused by. I placed my hand on top of Jess's, hoping to ease her.

As the crowd passed by the stopped cars, their fears soon became obvious. Other humans were chasing them, but they didn't seem like humans. There were only three, though they seemed to be badly injured, limping as they moved forward. They ran after anyone who happened to be by, trying to attack them. They didn't bare weapons though just reached for the passing people.

FBI agents ran out into the street, opening fire on the attackers. Jess screamed from the gunshots, covering her ears and closing her eyes. I was completely frozen in shock and fear though still brought her close to me, wrapping my arms around her though still saying silent as I watched the scene unfold.

Bullets flew at the attackers but they only caused the attackers to turn on the agents. Ten bullets didn't seem to injure them at all. Their bodies jolted back from the impact though it did little to slow their movements. Finally, a bullet flew through the head of an attacker, bringing it down to the ground. The other FBI agents took notice and followed suit, shooting the rest in the head.

Other agents rushed people off the streets as news reporters tried to capture the scene. Whatever those things were, they had to be the one's responsible for the murders. With their lack of weaponry, it didn't seem likely they could kill so many people so easily, yet clearly they had. They tore bodies up, being mistaken for animals as a result. There was no way they could be human.


	7. Chapter 7

"Everybody stay in your cars!" Agents yelled around the packed street at curious citizens left their cars, demanding answers for the events. No one knew how to describe what had happened. The bodies that laid in the streets looked human though their mannerisms definitely weren't human.

Jess shook in my arms but stayed silent, unsure how to react.

"Stay calm okay? There's police here and everything," I assured her, running my fingers through her hair slowly. My own hands shook though I tried to mask it as much as possible. She didn't need to know I was frightened.

"But what was that?" She asked, tears running down her cheeks. "Why were they shooting them?" I sighed, wiping away the tear streaks.

"I don't know, but I'm sure there will be answers later. We'll be fine though, okay?" In reality, I was as confused and as scared as my sister. The whole scene that took place made little sense. Were they criminals who escaped from prison? They could have been wearing bulletproof vests under their clothing. But why were they walking so weird? And why would their attacks look like the work of an animal?

Traffic moved again as the police ushered cars along. They wanted to clear the scene as quickly as possible with as little witnesses as possible. I, along with many others, wanted answers though. People, or whatever they were, had been shot in the middle of the day on a crowded street. But it didn't seem as though anything would be answered now.

Jess and I remained silent the rest of the way home. I rushed her inside, locking the door behind me. My mom was waiting in the living room, anxiously sitting at the edge of her seat.

"Oh, thank God!" She exclaimed, rushing over to the both of us. With a glance at the TV, I saw she had been watching the news report live. "Whatever this is, it's getting serious. Please, stay home, okay?" Mom cupped Jess's chin before kissing her forehead and hugging her to her chest. I walked away from the door, standing in front of the TV. Clips were being played of the shooting on the street though there was no footage of what they were shooting at.

"They shot at people," Jess explained, still shaken from the event. Mom turned to look at me, her eyebrows furrowing.

"What? People?" She walked over to my side, watching the news report with me.

"There's no footage of it," I explained. "They looked like people but then… they didn't. I'm pretty sure they're the one's killing the people." There had to be a lot of them. No one came on the news to explain the threat was eliminated after the three were shot. They were only the beginning.

xxxxxxx

Later that night, every news channel was playing the event over and over. There were more reports of murders though no one mentioned who, or what, was killing them. I assumed they were trying to prevent panic but they weren't doing a very good job of it. Every news reporter strongly advised people to stay in their homes and away from the city. Businesses were canceling work and schools closed. All of this in just two days time. Very little questions were answered. No one knew how to react, other than to assume the worse and panic.

My phone in my pocket buzzed. I answered it quickly after seeing Ty's number.

"Hey, is everything okay?"

"No!" She answered back frantically. "What the hell is going on? Are you watching the news?"

"I don't think anyone isn't," I answered.

"This is fucked. Who's doing all of this?" Ty's voice calmed slightly, although it was obvious she was still on edge.

"I don't know. I saw them, but I don't-"

"You saw them?" She yelled, her voice becoming frantic again.

"I was picking up Jess from school. There was another murder and then three… things just came out of nowhere."

"Things? What things?" A frightened tone was added to her voice. I hadn't heard Ty this worked up in a long time.

"They were people… I think. But not really… I don't know! They were shot, I didn't see them for long."

"This is literally not happening. Who are they, like terrorists?"

"I doubt it," I started, trying to think of possibilities but coming up short. "They'd have bombs or guns. They just… walked out into the open. It was like they were asking to get killed."

"That doesn't even make any sense!" Ty groaned loudly into the phone, frustration clear in her voice. "What are we even supposed to do?"

"Maybe it'll just pass?" I offered. "It's raised a lot of awareness, so the police must be all over it."

"Are you guys gonna be okay locked up in your house with your dad for so long? Usually you can get away for a while."

"Yeah… we're fine." It was probably a lie, but he seemed to be more focused on the TV than anything else. He didn't have time to be angry. "What do your parents think about all of this?"

"Momma One thinks we'll be fine. Momma Two… not so much. She's panicking… I kinda agree with her though. This is crazy. People don't just get mangled to death!"

"Well, if shit goes down you have guns in your house. You're all set." I added a smile to my voice, hoping to ease the tension. I didn't always respond well to danger. My life was already dangerous. A few murders didn't scare me too much. What scared me was why they wouldn't give us more information.

"Alex, just shut up." she said, also joking though trying to be serious. I laughed slightly.

"Oh come on, you know it's true. This will pass, just give it time." I glanced at the TV again. Recordings of frantic crowds running about the city still consumed every minute of the news. Death counts were increasing as people were still fighting to get to their houses. The city was launching into mayhem. "Just stay calm. We'll be fine." I couldn't have been more wrong.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone! Thank you again for reading through this far c: I'm excited to be getting into more action! Again, I'd still love any plot or character suggestions along with any comments on the story. I'd love to hear anything you guys have to say. Thanks for reading!**

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The next few days that passed only grew increasingly worse. A state of emergency had been called, the message being the only thing displayed on TV's anymore. Newscasters had stopped reporting by now. No one was keeping track of the multiple deaths. The last thing publicly reported only made things worse; whatever these killers were, they had been multiplying. One was shot and another appeared. Gunshots rang throughout the town during the day and during the night. Police, the SWAT team, and even members of the army were fighting the attackers. Even they couldn't neutralize the threat.

Still, no one knew what these things even were. They were more frequent in the city though one or two would wander into the suburbs. Despite the mayhem, the only one's I had seen were on the day I picked Jess up from school. The only fear we had came from the lack of civilization around us. No one dared to leave the safety of their home. Ty had called me a few times since then. There had been a few around her house, which her parents took out.

Bullets to their bodies didn't phase them. Only head shots took them down. They didn't seem to have any goal other than to just attack people. They wandered around the streets until someone showed up. Their attention would immediately be directed towards that person and would chase them until they were killed. Nothing made sense, and there had been no news from anyone to tell us what to do.

No one dared to leave their homes, knowing everyone risked being killed. Ty had called me a few times since then. There had been a few of the attackers around her house, which her parents took out. Only wounds to their head seemed to have any effect on them though, despite their lack of armor.

No one knew the intentions of the attackers. They mangled bodies, ripping them open, but no one could explain why they did it. That was probably the most frustrating part. Every person was just a sitting duck, waiting for these things to show up, but no one knew why it was happening. The deaths seemed pointless, as the attackers. They simply wandered around the streets until someone showed up. They looked more like failed robots with the way they moved rather than humans.

Our biggest struggle right now, however, wasn't these monstrous beings but a lack of food. We hadn't gone food shopping before all of this happened, never expecting a scenario where we'd have to be locked inside our house. The electricity still worked but a stove and microwave could do little without something to cook in them.

"We're not gonna last more than another two days," my mother said, walking out of the kitchen. "And that's if we eat sparingly."

"We'll figure it out," my dad retorted, staring off at the wall. He'd been surprisingly decent these past few days. He yelled often from being tense but being yelled at wasn't nearly as bad. These few days had actually been the more peaceful than ever.

"How do we get to the food store?" Jess asked, her voice small. We were all huddled in the living room, listening to static on radio stations and flipping through non existent TV channels.

"I said we'd figure it out." My dads voice rose, anger beginning to show in his tone. I wrapped an arm around Jess, kissing the top of her head. She was numb to my dad's yelling as well though I still didn't like her having to hear it.

A thump sounded from outside, causing all four of our heads to snap towards the source.

"Was that the kitchen?" My mother asked, panic in her voice.

"Outside," my dad corrected, rising slowly from his seat. He took a few hesitant steps into the kitchen, looking out the window over the sink. "Shit!" He called out, rushing down into the basement.

"What's going on?" The panic in my moms voice grew as she also stood from her seat, going into the kitchen herself. I followed her in, towing Jessica along by my side.

From the window, an entire group of the attackers had filed into our backyard from the woods, spilling into our neighbors yards. Jessica gasped, taking a few steps away from the kitchen. My eyes stayed locked on the group, trying to estimate how many there actually were. Twenty? Thirty? More than enough for our small house. More than I ever thought would be together at one time.

"Get upstairs!" Mom ordered, ushering Jess and I towards the stairs. Just as we did so, John reappeared from the basement, holding a loaded handgun. We only had one, solely for protection purposes. I didn't think we'd have enough ammunition for all of them, and my dad didn't have a perfect shot. My mom still pushed us towards the stairs. I grabbed onto Jessica's hand and led her upstairs, pulling her into our parents room, the only room with a lock on it.

I hated my parents room. There were multiple times in my past, and recent present, when I had been dragged in here. The thoughts made chills raise on my arms and a sick feeling in my stomach though I was also more distracted by the group of murderers outside my house to worry about a room.

I locked the door behind us and stood near the window. John stood on the back porch, firing off the handgun. The group just moved closer and closer to him though he didn't seem close to giving in. A few bodies hit the ground but not enough to lessen the threat any.

It was then an idea popped into my head. My dad was distracted for the first time in days. All sense of order had fallen, making practically anything possible.

"Hey Jess...why don't we leave?" I asked, my eyes still glued to the window.

"Leave? What are you talking about?" Her voice was shaky, clearly frightened by the situation.

"Yeah," I began, swallowing heavily and turning my head to look at her. "Dad's outside, distracted. If we get mom, we can get out to the car and go to Ty's before he notices." I didn't think mom would go willingly though if Jess and I both attempted to force her, she wouldn't put up much of a fight. She was weak and could easily be dragged out to the car. I would leave her behind if I wasn't afraid of John's reaction to the absence of his daughters.

"But what about those things out there? They're everywhere!"

"But only out back," I pointed out. "And the car is only feet from the house, we'll be behind locked doors again in seconds. It could work." Jess looked apprehensive, lowering her eyes and wrapping her arms around herself. For the first time in my life, escaping felt like a possibility. The authorities were far too busy dealing with this crisis to worry about any domestic problems. My dad wouldn't be able to do anything except come after us, and if we made it to Ty's, he wouldn't touch us.

"Do you trust me?" I asked her, lifting her chin slightly to look at me. She nodded, and I believed her despite her look of fear. "We can do this. We can get away from him and stay with Ty's family. Besides, they can protect us better than he can, you know that."

Jess nodded again, taking a while to respond. "If you think we'll be safe, then we can try. But we are taking mom, right?"

I nodded at her. "Of course. But she might not want to go at first. We'll just have to persuade her on the way that it'll be better for her. We don't have much time."

After some time of thinking it over, Jess started to look more sure of herself. She nodded once again.

"Alright.. so let's do it then."

I gave her a small smile before walking over to the bedroom door and opening it. I was stopped in my tracks by a figure standing in the doorway. Upon looking up, I saw my father, covered in the blood that had splattered back on him.

"You're gonna be doing what now?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello all! I am so happy with the positive feedback I've gotten from the story! I become more and more anxious to write every day c: I really appreciate everyone reading and sticking with the story! Again, any suggestions or criticism is welcome!**

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My heart dropped to my stomach at the sight of him. Anger flashed through his eyes as he took a step closer to me. I moved Jessica behind me, hoping to shield her from my father. He'd been distracted the past few days though that didn't mean he had become any nicer. That wasn't even a plausible possibility.

He kept walking closer to us, standing up straighter to come off more intimidating. My sister gripped my shirt from behind, her head peeking around my side to watch what was happening. But there was no way I'd let her see anything else. Quickly, I glanced glanced at the distant between my dad and the doorway, looking to see if it was possible to get around him. I knew, however, he'd notice my eyes move from his and figure out my plan. So, after hesitating for only a second before, I darted around him on the side opposite from where I looked. I moved Jessica in front of me, ushering her towards to stairs. Luckily, she descended them quickly, safely landing at the bottom. I, however, wasn't as lucky.

John had been only slightly jarred by my move though caught on quickly and grabbed my wrist, pulling me backwards. But I knew this would be my only chance to get away from him, so I kept pulling away from him, hoping by some chance I could break free.

"What's wrong, can't get away?" He growled, his grip tightening on my wrist. I spun on my heels to face him, using my free hand to attempt to pry his off of mine.

"Let me go!" I demanded, still pulling away. After a few seconds, a smirk rose on his lips before he did exactly as I asked.

"Fine."

As his hand left my wrist suddenly, I lost my footing. I landed backwards on my leg before tumbling down the stairs backwards, hitting my head violently on every step as I descended. After landing, I couldn't even let out a cry at the pain I felt. My body ached though it felt little compared to my leg. Intense pain ran up my leg, enough to make me feel nauseous and lightheaded. I heard my sister cry out but I couldn't even understand what she had said.

My father descended the stairs slowly and stopped in front of me. I tried to stand up then, not wanting him to have the satisfaction, but any pressure added on my leg caused my vision to blur. I grabbed onto the edge of the wall and pushed myself up, putting all my weight onto my right leg. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes though I refused to let them. I swallowed down the pain but in the end, it didn't really matter. He knew he won.

"Go. Get out." My dad demanded, motioning with his hand for me to go to the front door. I thought I knew what he was doing; he knew I couldn't walk, but he wanted to see me try. He wanted me to know he was fully in control of my decisions, and I couldn't fight him. But I was completely wrong.

John came forward and pushed me forward. I fell, not being able to balance myself without applying pressure onto my leg. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my sister flinch though she stayed where she was with my mother. I always feared she'd try to stop my dad during one of his fits, but she always knew better than the interfer. She had told me countless times she wanted to try to help me, but there was no other way to help me than to keep herself safe.

"Are you deaf? I said get out!" John grabbed the back of my shirt and lifted me up to my knees. i closed my eyes tightly, trying not to cry out in pain. The position was impossible to tolerate with the condition of my leg, but he wasn't giving me an option. "I'm not babysitting some disobedient, disrespectful bitch! I have better things to be doing." He pushed me forward again before walking towards the door and opening it.

"John, you can't just send her-" My mom tried to speak up, but her voice was quiet and shaky.

"Excuse me?" My dad asked aggressively, turning toward her. Instinctively, my mom turned away, bringing Jessica close to her. "You really believe she deserves our effort and our money? You think she behaves well enough for all of that? Huh?" My dad walked closer to my mom, causing her to cower closer against the wall. Slowly, she shook her head, agreeing with my father. That was the first time I had felt an emotional pain strong enough to feel it in my chest.

After a quick nod to my mom, he turned back to me though I no longer felt anything.

"You. Get out of my house. And don't you dare even think about coming back here." With a small twist of my head, I glanced at my sister. Tears streamed quickly down her face. She was shaking her head and mouthing the word 'no' over and over, but we both knew nothing could be done.

I clumsily made my way to my feet, ignoring the pain in my leg long enough to limp over to the front door. With another shove, the door slammed shut behind me. A click sounded, indicating the door had been locked. I turned slowly, looking at the door that had always made my stomach turn whenever I entered. For the very first time, I was exactly where I had always wanted to be. I was on the outside, away from my father. But alone. And now, I would have given anything to be on the inside.


	10. Chapter 10

I stared at the back of the door for a while, not being able to hear anything that was going on inside. I felt numb though at the same time, everything exploded inside of me. Silent tears streamed down my face. I wasn't sure what part I was more hurt by. My mom had never tried to stand up to me before in front of my father, but she took it back at the end, fearing my father more than she cared for me. She knew exactly what's been going on with the murders, yet she let her eldest daughter walk out on her own.

At the moment, I didn't care about the attackers around my house. What were left of them were blocked from the front yard by the wooden fence. By the sound of it, more had arrived from the woods. I didn't care that I had no clothes, no food, and no car keys. What I cared about was my sister was still inside the house without me. I couldn't get to her, and there was no way she could get to me. I didn't know how to leave with her still inside. There had never been a moment of her life when I accepted the fact I couldn't protect her. There hadn't been a moment I left her alone in a dangerous situation. She'd never had to face what I did growing up. But now… there was nothing I could do to protect her.

Finally turning from the door, I made my way slowly down the stairs, doing my best to avoid putting pressure on my leg. I reached in my back pocket, thankful I still had my phone on me. For once, I was glad I didn't have some fancy smart phone; the fall probably would have broken it. But my cheap flip phone still held together, allowing me to punch in Ty's number. After a few rings, her voice sounded from the other end.

"Everything going good over there?" She asked, her voice calmer than earlier.

"Um…" I hadn't realized how shaky my voice would be. I coughed quickly, trying to fix it, though it wasn't like I could hide my emotions even with a calm voice. "How bad is it over at your place?

"Why?" She asked immediately, her voice becoming more serious after hearing my voice.

"I just wanted to know if picking me up would be possible. But don't put yourself in danger or-"

"Alex! What the hell is going on? I thought you said everything was okay?"

"It was my fault," I said, my voice not changing. "I provoked it, but um… I'm not allowed back inside so I can't get my car keys, and so…" I trailed off, not knowing what else to add. I found it sickeningly funny how similar our conversations over the phone had been recently. It was only days ago I had her pick me up from X's apartment. The thought could still bother me, though it seemed so distant compared to the worry I had lingering inside me now.

"You can't go back inside? So you mean you're outside while all of this shit is happening?"

"Yeah, but there's nothing outside right now, so it's fine."

"Oh my god." There was obvious panic in her voice. More noise sounded from her end as she moved anxiously around her house. "No, there's nothing at my house. I'm getting you now and you'll talk to me then, right? Not like last time when I had to drag it out of you?"

"No," I whispered back to her. "I'll talk."

I wasn't sure what I was feeling inside. The selfish side of me felt relief, but then there was also pain, fear, and hatred toward myself. I couldn't wrap my head around anything and I couldn't figure out what to do. There was no plan I could form to make everything okay for my sister and my mother in the end. I didn't have to be in the house to know what would happen without me there. My dad had to take his anger out on someone, and the next in line was Jess.

A while later, Ty's car pulled up to the side of my house. I moved from my spot, still using my same method to apply little pressure on my left foot, which involved a lot of hopping. It wasn't long before Ty realized the situation and jumped from her car.

"What happened to you?" She asked, panicked again. "He actually went this far?" She moved to my side and wrapped an arm around my waist, allowing me to lean my weight on her. Ty had a fair amount of muscle on her for someone of her size, so it was practically effortless for her.

"Like I said, it was my fault," I admitted, sitting down in the front seat once we made it there. She quickly moved around to the driver's seat and sat down but kept the car idle.

"It's your fault you can't walk properly?" She challenged, anger replacing the panic in her voice. "Don't try to cover up what he-"

"I was talking with Jess about leaving." I paused for a second, leaning back in the seat. "We were in his room. It was like he was just waiting outside the door the whole time."

"Where is Jess?" Ty asked, looking at me. After everything that had happened in the last half hour, that one question was what broke me. I lowered my head into my lap, covering my face with my hands. Ty wrapped her arms around me, though stayed quiet. She'd seen my cry often, though it was rare I let myself feel this much pain.

"She's still inside," I cried out, gasping for air in between sobs. "I can't get her. I can't protect her. I can't do anything!" My voice was barely audible but Ty seemed to make out the words. Although, she still didn't say anything. She couldn't tell me it'd be okay. She couldn't tell me Jess would be safe. Both of us knew it wasn't true.

"We'll get her. We'll come back at night or something and we'll get her out."

"No, he's gonna hurt her!" I insisted. Thought's of bruises covering my sister's body caused me to nearly vomit. But what could I do? Barge back in there and demand he hand her over? Only so he could hit me some more and probably even Jess to prove a point. I was stuck without any other options.

"She can hold out for the night. Jess has had you to look up to all her life, so that means she's tough." I let out a sarcastic laugh, tears still streaming down my reddened cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm so tough. That's why I just let him throw me out. That's why he still has my sister, and that's why I'm sitting here crying, right?"

Ty sighed, not in frustration, though knowing she wouldn't be able to calm me. Nothing but having my sister in the backseat of the car would calm me down. I felt like an absolute failure. I was escaping while she was filled with fear at what my absence would mean for her.

I remembered the times Jess had told me she wished John would take his anger out on her than me. She hated to see me in pain, though it pained me more just to hear her speak those words. I had given up my life and natural instincts to fight against my father just to protect her from everything that occurred in that house. And now, I was giving up. Just running away. I hadn't ever felt more guilty about anything in my life. All I could do was hope he'd stay calm until I could get her again. There was no way I'd be gone for good, but I figured John had to know that, too.

A banging came from the passenger side window. Ty and I both jumped, and for a second I though John had come out to force us to leave. Upon looking though, I saw one of the attackers up close for the first time. He had the appearance of a man, though his face was distorted past recognition. It looked almost rotted and pulled apart, but that didn't even make sense. How could something like that live?

He stood, banging at the side of the car repeatedly. I clumsily pushed down the lock on the door, still shaken up from my father and more so now that this thing was beside us. Despite the fear I felt, I couldn't help but wonder why he didn't just pull on the door handle.

"Okay, leaving!" Ty declared, putting her car into drive and speeding away down the street. I turned in my seat to watch the thing stumble forward after the car left. He continued on down the road after us, though he left my line of sight very quickly. For the big commotion they had been causing, they didn't seem very threatening.

"They act like really gross people who have forgotten how to do anything other than stumble around and kill," Ty declared, anxiously checking her mirrors for any more following us. She glanced over at me, realizing I was still worked up about what had happened at my house. She dug around in her glove department while also focusing on the road. Pulling out a napkin, she put it in my hand and frowned at me. "Clean up, okay? We're gonna figure this out and everything will be okay. If your dad has been distracted up until now, Jess will be fine. She knows how to handle herself." I could only nod in response. Every piece of me felt pathetic and worthless, to the point where I couldn't even care about the state the world was in at the moment. Nothing mattered to me more than the safety of my sister.


End file.
